Earlier reports that Greek filmmaker
Michael Cacoyannis'
Stella was based on Olive Higgins Prouty's Stella Dallas were derived from misleading contemporary reviews. In fact, all that that
Cacoyannis
film has in common with the Prouty novel is the fact that both are
centered around a strong, fiercely independent female protagonist.
Melina Mercouri
plays the film's title character, an intensely passionate girl who
falls out of love with her many beaux the minute they start talking
about marriage and commitment. Ultimately, Stella comes to grief when
one of her more ardent suitors decides that, if he can't have her, no
one can. Adapted from his own stage play by Iakovos Kambanellis,
Stella was filmed in 1955, but did not attain a widespread American release until 1957.
